Do you know what it's like to have someone to look up to? The words that come from a very special person in my life stick with me forever. Im proud to have a unique , loving , caring , crazy , funny beautiful godmother that I want to be exactly like when im older. I call her Nina Carmen because Nina is short for the spanish word , Madrina , which means godmother. I know that my Nina has the biggest heart any person in this world can ever have. I've been taught many new things by her almost every time we’re together , the most important one i keep in mind and use all the time is to always do things with a smile no matter how tough they can get.
Since the first day I was born she has been there by my side , she’s told me many times that when she first held me at the hospital I smelled like popcorn. That’s when she gave me my first nickname “Popcorn Baby”. Growing up I was always right next to her at her side. If she went to the store I went with her , if she was going to visit someone i went with her and if she was going to her office at work on the weekend I still went with her no matter how boring it was. Since I was with her so much she then gave me another nickname called “Chicle” which means gum in spanish because of how attached i was to her. I was 5 when she moved away to a little city near the Sequoia National Park called Visalia , I only got so see her in the summer and weeks I would be on vacation for school. I mostly saw her during winter break. Christmas was always the best out there , we would watch movies and she would go pick up my cousins that lived in Fresno to open presents before going back home. My Nina was a teacher in the Hueneme school district and got her first job as a principal at a school out in Visalia and the city was really nice. Every trip there was an impatient car ride looking out the window asking my dad “Are we there yet?” 3 times in a row. I would always look forward to the 2 nights ,or if I was lucky 3 , that we would stay at her house she shared with her good friend Rosario. She has always been the type of person to teach you something everywhere you go with her. It's always either her asking you how to spell a word , pronounce a word or what a word means. My nina doesn't have kids , she’s single but she treats me and the rest of her nieces and nephews like we’re her own. She calls us her crazy little monkeys since it’s her favorite animal and we’re always clinging on to her.
After living in Visalia for about 6 years she decided to move to Pasadena to be a principal at a new school. Till this day she still lives in the same very fancy and expensive 2 story apartment. She had some good times when she moved out there and taught me it's okay to take a risk since she knew no one there or anything about Pasadena. In 4th grade i was called out of school one morning and I was told an emergency happened. I only remember getting to a hospital in Arcadia and waking up when the car stopped in the parking lot. I didn't know why we were there at the time , or what happened but apparently I was so attached to her that they werent sure to let me know what happened to my Nina without me freaking out. Walking inside the hospital, I heard my mom say the name Carmen to the lady in the front desk and I realized why we were there. I saw a lot of family in the ICU waiting room and I had just gotten there when my grandma started praying with my aunts. I was unsure if I wanted to go and see her but I didn’t know what to expect since i’ve never been in an actual situation like that before. I went in thinking she was gonna be happy and smiley to see me like always but I was wrong. My nina’s eyes were closed and felt cold and i was scared so i asked to leave. My dad had me leave the room so he could explain that my nina had been in a coma and the doctors think she won’t make it. I cried for a long time terrified to lose her. I went to see her again and grabbed her hand this time and cried , I didn’t want to leave her side like always but it was time to go. We stayed out there for about 3 days when we got a call that she had woken up. I went to see her and she was smiley this time and being her funny self but looked exhausted still. I knew she was fine after about 2 weeks since she was up and out of the hospital and back to her normal routine. She explained to me about her weird dreams she was having and later on read a book called “Heavan is for Real” and realized whst she was dreaming wasnt dreams. . She told me she never let go and fought through and taught me that no matteer how hard times can be to always fight through them.
After the coma incident became a laugh in the past my nina has really enjoyed her life living in pasadena. She’s met many new people there and enjoys working with the kids that live around that community. My nina is known for being , generous , helpful and a really good person. I see her a lot more often since she lives closer but she hardly comes to visit on the weekends because she chooses to go to work even though she doesn't have to. I know how stressful my nina can get with all of her work and the struggles she encounters daily at her school. When she recently moved up and got a new job at the district office in Pasadena she got a lot of hate from old coworkers at the elementary school she worked at. They were protesting right outside her office window one day and saying rude things to her. My Nina Carmen is a very strong woman and doesn't let things like that bring her down. She simply got up looked out the window and then closed it. No matter how rough her life can be she never give up and she’s taught me to do that as well. Almost all the things I know I was taught by her , even as little as how to tie my shoe , bake a cake , clean , be a good person and help others. She’s basically my second mom who is always there , I'm not saying my mom doesn't do any of that but when my nina does it she does it in a happy way. I know never to ask my nina for something at a store because her answer is always I don't need anything I just want it , which is true. I don't ever expect to get a present for her on my birthday or Christmas or any other occasion people give me gifts for. The gift she says she gives me is her still being here and being by my side. If I'm lucky when we’re together I'll get Starbucks or coffee been since I know that she loves to get coffee. My nina also loves to travel , she's been to numerous countries and states around the world. This year thanksgiving she went to Cuba alone for the first time in her life and once again she taught me it's okay to take risks.
With all she’s been through we will always be side by side i have more learning from her to come. I know we’re gonna be close with each other for a very long time. Having a nina like her is the very best thing that could ever happen to me. Just as I said when I was a little girl “I want to be strong and beautiful just like my Nina Carmen“ . I know just the right person to lookup to and how exactly i want to be.
Since the first day I was born she has been there by my side , she’s told me many times that when she first held me at the hospital I smelled like popcorn. That’s when she gave me my first nickname “Popcorn Baby”. Growing up I was always right next to her at her side. If she went to the store I went with her , if she was going to visit someone i went with her and if she was going to her office at work on the weekend I still went with her no matter how boring it was. Since I was with her so much she then gave me another nickname called “Chicle” which means gum in spanish because of how attached i was to her. I was 5 when she moved away to a little city near the Sequoia National Park called Visalia , I only got so see her in the summer and weeks I would be on vacation for school. I mostly saw her during winter break. Christmas was always the best out there , we would watch movies and she would go pick up my cousins that lived in Fresno to open presents before going back home. My Nina was a teacher in the Hueneme school district and got her first job as a principal at a school out in Visalia and the city was really nice. Every trip there was an impatient car ride looking out the window asking my dad “Are we there yet?” 3 times in a row. I would always look forward to the 2 nights ,or if I was lucky 3 , that we would stay at her house she shared with her good friend Rosario. She has always been the type of person to teach you something everywhere you go with her. It's always either her asking you how to spell a word , pronounce a word or what a word means. My nina doesn't have kids , she’s single but she treats me and the rest of her nieces and nephews like we’re her own. She calls us her crazy little monkeys since it’s her favorite animal and we’re always clinging on to her.
After living in Visalia for about 6 years she decided to move to Pasadena to be a principal at a new school. Till this day she still lives in the same very fancy and expensive 2 story apartment. She had some good times when she moved out there and taught me it's okay to take a risk since she knew no one there or anything about Pasadena. In 4th grade i was called out of school one morning and I was told an emergency happened. I only remember getting to a hospital in Arcadia and waking up when the car stopped in the parking lot. I didn't know why we were there at the time , or what happened but apparently I was so attached to her that they werent sure to let me know what happened to my Nina without me freaking out. Walking inside the hospital, I heard my mom say the name Carmen to the lady in the front desk and I realized why we were there. I saw a lot of family in the ICU waiting room and I had just gotten there when my grandma started praying with my aunts. I was unsure if I wanted to go and see her but I didn’t know what to expect since i’ve never been in an actual situation like that before. I went in thinking she was gonna be happy and smiley to see me like always but I was wrong. My nina’s eyes were closed and felt cold and i was scared so i asked to leave. My dad had me leave the room so he could explain that my nina had been in a coma and the doctors think she won’t make it. I cried for a long time terrified to lose her. I went to see her again and grabbed her hand this time and cried , I didn’t want to leave her side like always but it was time to go. We stayed out there for about 3 days when we got a call that she had woken up. I went to see her and she was smiley this time and being her funny self but looked exhausted still. I knew she was fine after about 2 weeks since she was up and out of the hospital and back to her normal routine. She explained to me about her weird dreams she was having and later on read a book called “Heavan is for Real” and realized whst she was dreaming wasnt dreams. . She told me she never let go and fought through and taught me that no matteer how hard times can be to always fight through them.
After the coma incident became a laugh in the past my nina has really enjoyed her life living in pasadena. She’s met many new people there and enjoys working with the kids that live around that community. My nina is known for being , generous , helpful and a really good person. I see her a lot more often since she lives closer but she hardly comes to visit on the weekends because she chooses to go to work even though she doesn't have to. I know how stressful my nina can get with all of her work and the struggles she encounters daily at her school. When she recently moved up and got a new job at the district office in Pasadena she got a lot of hate from old coworkers at the elementary school she worked at. They were protesting right outside her office window one day and saying rude things to her. My Nina Carmen is a very strong woman and doesn't let things like that bring her down. She simply got up looked out the window and then closed it. No matter how rough her life can be she never give up and she’s taught me to do that as well. Almost all the things I know I was taught by her , even as little as how to tie my shoe , bake a cake , clean , be a good person and help others. She’s basically my second mom who is always there , I'm not saying my mom doesn't do any of that but when my nina does it she does it in a happy way. I know never to ask my nina for something at a store because her answer is always I don't need anything I just want it , which is true. I don't ever expect to get a present for her on my birthday or Christmas or any other occasion people give me gifts for. The gift she says she gives me is her still being here and being by my side. If I'm lucky when we’re together I'll get Starbucks or coffee been since I know that she loves to get coffee. My nina also loves to travel , she's been to numerous countries and states around the world. This year thanksgiving she went to Cuba alone for the first time in her life and once again she taught me it's okay to take risks.
With all she’s been through we will always be side by side i have more learning from her to come. I know we’re gonna be close with each other for a very long time. Having a nina like her is the very best thing that could ever happen to me. Just as I said when I was a little girl “I want to be strong and beautiful just like my Nina Carmen“ . I know just the right person to lookup to and how exactly i want to be.